Rui Griffin stepped closer, his gaze never leaving Reina.
There was no more distance between them now—only a quiet, charged understanding.
"Babe Rei…" His voice softened, though it still carried weight. "Are you sure?"
Reina's breath trembled, but her eyes didn't waver this time.
"Yes."
That single word changed everything.
Rui exhaled slowly, as if steadying himself. Then he pulled her into his arms, lowering his forehead to hers. For a moment, neither of them moved.
It wasn't urgency that guided him now.
It was restraint.
Care.
When he kissed her again, it was deeper—but also gentler, as if he was trying to memorize her.
Reina clung to him, her earlier fear dissolving into something warmer, something she didn't want to name yet. Every touch grounded her, reminding her that she wasn't alone anymore.
"Stay with me," she whispered.
"I'm not going anywhere," he replied.
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down with surprising tenderness for someone so imposing. His hand brushed her cheek, then lingered there.
"Tell me if it's too much," he murmured.
Reina nodded, her fingers tightening around his.
The night stretched forward slowly, their movements finding a rhythm that wasn't rushed. At first, there was hesitation—uncertainty—but Rui never pushed past it. He adjusted, softened, waited.
And little by little, Reina responded.
Her grip on him changed—from tense to trusting.
Her breathing shifted—from uneven to steady.
The distance between them disappeared completely.
Time blurred.
The outside world faded.
And when the intensity finally broke, it wasn't overwhelming—it was shared.
Reina buried her face against him, her body trembling, not from fear this time, but from the unfamiliar depth of feeling.
Rui held her tightly, his own breath uneven as he rested his forehead against her shoulder.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Only when her breathing began to slow did he move again—this time more gently, guiding her, grounding her, making sure she didn't drift too far into exhaustion.
"Easy…" he murmured, brushing her hair back.
By the time the night quieted, Reina barely had the strength to keep her eyes open. She curled instinctively against him, seeking warmth.
Rui looked down at her, something unreadable passing through his eyes.
He brushed a kiss against her forehead.
"You're mine," he said softly—but this time, it sounded less like possession, and more like a promise.
Reina didn't answer.
She had already fallen asleep in his arms.
Rui watched her for a moment longer before carefully lifting her, carrying her to clean her up, his movements far more careful than before.
When he returned her to bed, he made sure she was comfortable, pulling the covers over her.
Only then did he allow himself to rest.
He lay beside her and drew her close again, his breathing finally slowing.
In the quiet of the night, the intensity faded—
leaving behind something steadier.
Something that might, in time, become real.